Oregon vs. Ohio State: TV Info and More for College Football Championship 2015
This is uncharted territory for college football, and it couldn’t have asked for a better national championship game in the initial College Football Playoff.
Ohio State will bring its massive fanbase and decades of tradition to Arlington to face off against one of the powerful new-bloods in the sport in Oregon. The Buckeyes have the legendary coach in Urban Meyer, but the Ducks counter with this season’s Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Marcus Mariota.
The fact that Ohio State lost two Heisman candidates of its own in quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett makes the game all the more intriguing. As Matt Saracen of Friday Night Lights would say, Cardale Jones is QB1 for the Buckeyes, and now he has to go against the best player in college football to get the trophy.
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Here is the schedule for Monday’s title game as well as a look at the key determining factor for the outcome.
2015 National Championship
Matchup: Oregon vs. Ohio State
Date: Monday, Jan. 12
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Determining Factor: Ohio State Offense vs. Oregon Defense
It’s time to accept this fact now, Buckeyes fans—Mariota and the rest of the Oregon offense are going to score points in the title game. The Ducks were second in the nation in scoring offense, 11th in passing yards per game, 18th in rushing yards per game and are a high-tempo machine when they get going.
Even though Ohio State may be the toughest defense the Ducks have faced this year on paper in terms of potential NFL talent, Oregon is too dynamic on offense to simply be stopped for four quarters.
That means the Buckeyes are going to have to outscore Oregon in much the same way Arizona did in a 31-24 victory back on Oct. 2
The best way to do that is by pounding the ball on the ground if Ohio State’s Sugar Bowl performance was any indication. Running back Ezekiel Elliott dashed the physically imposing Alabama defense to the tune of 230 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The offensive line controlled the game with its run blocking, which was all the more impressive based on the fact it was going against the closest thing we have seen to a college football dynasty in the past 10 years.
Oregon was only 51st in the country against the run, so the Buckeyes should be able to move the ball on the ground.
It is critical that Ohio State moves the chains with the rushing attack and gives the defense some much-needed breathers from Oregon’s fast pace. Don’t be surprised if the Buckeyes go a bit slower than they usually do on offense in an effort to keep Mariota on the sidelines for that much longer.
As for the Ohio State passing game, you know the story by now.
Miller went down before the season with injury, and Barrett got hurt against Michigan. Not a lot of people expected Ohio State to even beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game with Jones under center, let alone knock off Nick Saban and the mighty Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff.
All Jones did was throw for 243 yards and a touchdown against Alabama and 257 yards and three touchdowns against Wisconsin.
Statistically, Oregon’s pass defense is its most vulnerable unit. The Ducks were an abysmal 111th in the country against the pass and often gave up chunks of yardage to formidable opposing quarterbacks.
Wide receivers Jalin Marshall, Devin Smith, Michael Thomas and Evan Spencer are all legitimate weapons for the Buckeyes, and that’s not even mentioning the possibility of a healthy Dontre Wilson returning to the lineup for the first time since he broke his foot against Michigan State.
Wilson discussed his potential role, via Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com:
"I can bring back some explosive plays. I can make some plays on special teams and offensively, and I can also be a motivational person. I'm very spirited, very high-spirited, I'm very passionate about football. I love this team.
So I think I can keep them up and keep their head above water. And if they need me, I'll get out there and do what I have to do.
"
There are deep threats in Smith and Thomas, a possession receiver in Spencer and speedsters in Wilson and Marshall listed there. Oregon’s secondary, especially without Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, will have its hands full Monday.
On paper, it looks like the Ohio State offense against the Oregon defense is something of a mismatch, especially since the Ducks struggle to stop the pass as drastically as they do. However, there are two important things to keep in mind with Oregon’s defense—scoring in the red zone and turnovers.
The Ducks did give up 528 total yards against Florida State in the Rose Bowl but only allowed 20 points because they stopped the Seminoles in the red zone and forced a ridiculous five turnovers.
The Buckeyes cannot settle for field goals like they did against Alabama on their first two scoring drives when they get in the red zone if they hope to topple Mariota and the Oregon offense.
The Ducks were also No. 1 in the country in turnover margin at plus-20. While that is also a testament to how effectively Mariota and company protect the football, the defense is as opportunistic as it comes in college football. What’s more, Oregon takes advantage of those turnovers, as Matt McCoy of 610 WTVN noted:
Ohio State was impressive in its own right in that category, coming in at 15th in turnover margin at plus-10, so it will have to demonstrate the ability to hold onto the ball in the title game. A couple of turnovers against the Ducks attack can be downright crippling to a team’s chances.
If the Buckeyes convert on their red-zone opportunities and don’t cough the ball up, the national title could come back to Columbus. Otherwise, Mariota and the Oregon offense will make Ohio State pay on the other side of the field.
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